Brian L. Carpenter, an adjunct scholar at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, is an independent educational policy analyst who works with schools and organizations that are committed to advancing parental choice in education. From June 2002 through July 2005, he worked at the Mackinac Center, teaming up with policy experts to identify and develop leadership capacity in citizens interested in advancing the Center’s general policies in such areas as parental choice in education; employee rights regarding labor organizations; state spending discipline and privatization; environmental and technology regulation based on sound science; and legislative accountability.

During his time with the Mackinac Center, Carpenter was a frequent presenter at civic clubs, conferences and training seminars. He also published commentaries and was interviewed on talk radio.

Prior to working for the Center, Carpenter excelled in a variety of leadership roles, including emergency refugee relief in Kosovo, intelligence analysis in the U.S. Marine Corps and key executive roles in a number of Christian elementary and secondary schools.

Carpenter’s name appears in the Heritage Foundation’s annual guide to policy experts, and he is currently serving as treasurer of Bradford Academy, a charter school in Southfield, Mich. He is nearing completion of his Ph.D. in education from Capella University; he earned his master’s degree from Northern Arizona University.

Carpenter lives in Midland, Mich., with his wife, Sandi. They have two daughters.